New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-14
HOW TO USE CONVICT LABOR.
APLEA FOR GREAT PUBLIC WORKS.

DIR. sEAMAN's PAPER BEFORE THE MEDICO-LEdAL
sOCIETY-C RITICIsINa CITY OFFICERS.
At the meeting OF the MedicoLegal society In the
Hotel Buckingham last evening paper was read by Dr.
Louis Livingston Seaman on "Prson Labor and Public
Utility" Clark Bell. president Of the society. pre-
sened Dr. with reference to the study that he
has given prisons and prison labor and the pubic a
tenton that has called to these subjects by Dr. sea
mans articles. The paper was followed with marked
interest by the society and was aterwaro IaVorap us
cussed by the members.
Dr. Seaman spoke first of the growing recognition OF
the solidarity OF society and showed that society
disorders have vital relations with past present and
coming generations As practical outgrowfh OF the new
sociology being established for the ad
mnistraton prisons and pententiares The mistaken
policy Of making the prison population "colonics OF chat
tells sold the highest bidder under pesti
lent contract system has been abandoned and Under
better policy expect that the prisons shall cease
to be propaandsts Of every social evil where the state
practically undertakes the criminal education Of the dan
gerous There is less OF and savage
instinct In legislation for 1t Is felt that overy man
carries with him. convict all the latent posi-
blites of useful citizenship and We are thinking OF res
cung that latent possibility Dr. Seaman referred 10 the
experiments at Emra thatthe criminal
classes need be neither pavperzed nor ensaved In tho
interests Of justice and declared that what can be ac
complshed at the reformatory be attempted at
Blackwelrs Island Sing Sing and other places The con-
current Judgment OF prison associations Is That inc
wisest employment for the criminal classes lies In the
public service, least likely TO debtate legitimate In
dustres while it would prove most beneficial to the
community The projects supremacy affecting the public
webeing are sanitary and hygenic measures, Dr. Sea
man said and he then advocated Mt length the under
and The immediate towns along the Hudson River with
drawn from tho Adirondack regions ana using tue
prison convicts for the work.
The paper concludes as follows:
g % s De m s nS
CONVICT labor An analysis OF the annual reports
@ ams @ city treasury
the support Of sSIeboded convict whose
nSss Under the
iaf
Of
i HS s'
eating IDLE bread at the people. commissioner. in
Sa s @ @ he
the prison Sop% onhs snv asv telling which ray
' nsas IF and 's ss
The recent SlSa inv s.I,Ss
ns:n r Ssi:as Sa
Island including the building Of erib" the people were
supplying already 'RH.,sa and
paid for under the w hs m o ha o
niverous bourne whence no divvy returns This
hangs ss%P tsio fs what
perpetual treehanded with insolsnt innocsnse
T wa Or sss
are the stakes IN hand-a aronfs general
wealth by placing the eenlest
rogue Bloody sixth not In the str'nRest
but in Official possession OF The enoluments
and respon sibities OF Its warienshp. .
slsnd has for generations been the avorite winter
given over prohgscy The police stations long
become for the coming and gong Island
public works constantly demanded by the
growing metropolis Why should not the OF brawny
stone-cutters and metal workers who deplete the
public treasury with their sterile toll on the
Island hand the construction OF the great system OF
which 10 engirie The entire water
city Is there nothing engage the latent en-
erges costly OF our civilization in the
projected opening OF the Harlem River as the great
ca enterprise of the future There quarres OF building
stone ali about waiting drill and blast and tool
Absolutely the octopus OF political mai afmnis
rati0n binders gradual development OF wafer
regulated labor OF convics which shall pro-
o. ntowing commerce OF both hemisDhercs
prophyact would 90 with such pro
habitual drunkar who sobers up In the secu
Island the wife beater the bruser and bully the
petty thief with the accomplished burglar the and
gambler with his pot fsh, the confidence man with the an
evitable ball and chain and the sturdy toll OF
orable alternative Tor persistent evlliving and
doing oftenor think twice In the hour OF temp
The Island prisons would become dornitres for the
coming going toers the municipal
service under witt certain judicial AL
with liberal substitution OF months Tor days
time between tho police courts and
the Island would dwinde fnsgndcanco Meanwhile the
properties Of compulsory labor would be 90
with energy quite inooncev
able which has so long paaly zed
administration OF our prisons ana penitentisrea